Leeds Ride, 6 or 7 March

[Bokonon]

i am working but will try to get the day off, prefer sunday. Can easy help with a route, if you need it as thats my regular run out.

I'll add you to the list to swell the numbers and make this ride look like the place to be on that weekend!

The big problem with a route is getting out of Leeds, especially if ColinJ, longers and any others come by train - there is a good few miles of urban sprawl and associated traffic that has to be negotiated at the start and finish. Maybe I'll set somewhere like Golden Acre Park as the 'official' start point, but I can pick up those coming by train from the station first. Hmm...

OT - I still have a Sora shifter if you are still interested Andy.

 

[colly]

If it's any help I could collect any number of bikes from those who arrive by train. I only have two seat in the van though.
If it is just Colin and Longers that would save them plodding up from the station.

 

[shippers]

This is the sort of thing I want to get into doing, but my longest recent ride was 31 miles that nearly proved fatal!
Golden Acre would be fine for me though- I work about 2 miles away from it, and as I'll be coming in from Wakefield could pick up people from the station. I could combine with Colly above to put people in and he takes their bikes.

Not convinced I'd be making the full 50 miler though, and certainly not at anything like a competetive pace... I could set off and bin it after 30 yards or so...
Cycling back to the station at the end is far easier than cycling from the station at the start- that's part of my commute and it stinks.

 

[colly]

This is the sort of thing I want to get into doing, but my longest recent ride was 31 miles that nearly proved fatal!
Golden Acre would be fine for me though- I work about 2 miles away from it, and as I'll be coming in from Wakefield could pick up people from the station. I could combine with Colly above to put people in and he takes their bikes.

Not convinced I'd be making the full 50 miler though, and certainly not at anything like a competetive pace... I could set off and bin it after 30 yards or so...
Cycling back to the station at the end is far easier than cycling from the station at the start- that's part of my commute and it stinks.

I shouldn't worry about anything like a competitive pace.

Those who get to the top of a climb wait until the rest catch up as well.

 

[andyfromotley]

any news on which day yet? The sooner i ask for the day off the better.

andy

 

[Bokonon]

This is the sort of thing I want to get into doing, but my longest recent ride was 31 miles that nearly proved fatal!

.....

Not convinced I'd be making the full 50 miler though, and certainly not at anything like a competetive pace...

Hi shippers

You're welcome to come and join us and give it a go. As colly says, it certainly isn't going to be a high-speed affair - the group will run at the pace of the slowest rider. I should warn you though that the final route may involve a few hills.

If it helps, think of the ride as two 25-milers with a stop in between!!

 

[Bokonon]

any news on which day yet? The sooner i ask for the day off the better.

andy

Looks like the most specific-day votes have been for the Saturday, so I'll set the ride as being 6th March.

 

[ColinJ]

Looks like the most specific-day votes have been for the Saturday, so I'll set the ride as being 6th March.

Okay then - I'm in!

Ta very much for the offers of a lift from the railway station to wherever the ride officially starts. I'm not a fan of riding in traffic and the last time I tried it in Leeds I got lost!

 

[Calum]

Colin, you've lived in Hebden Bridge for too long!!

 

[andyfromotley]

i have asked for the day off, fingers crossed as it'll be good to catch up with you all over one of the nicest rides in the uk!!

 

[longers]

How hilly is the route please?

 

[aJohnson]

Think I was planning on going on a BikeRadar ride on the 7th So maybe the Saturday

 

[ColinJ]

How hilly is the route please?

The climb from Beamsley to Langbar on the way back is a bit of a killer! Note though that if you are on your fixie and don't fancy that then you could always stay on the lower road round to Ilkley.

Mind you, I have a sneaky suspicion that after the cafe stop bokonon might just have the Storiths climb in mind which is itself pretty tough!

 

[longers]

Gears for me then I think, still aiming to come across for this. Thanks for the pick up lift offer, I'd be happy to ride back to the station if pointed in the right direction.

 

[andyfromotley]

with respect to Bokonon, it will be something similar to this.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/390751

The big hill at 34 is Langbar which as pointed out is easily circumvented for those who want an easier ride.

The station is about 7 miles of easy riding from the start finish.